Summary and Key Points: The Tu-160 Blackjack, Russia's supersonic strategic bomber, has been a key asset in its long-range missile strikes during the war in Ukraine.

-Despite the overall underperformance of Russia's military, the Blackjack has stood out for its ability to deliver significant damage from hundreds of miles away, beyond the reach of Ukrainian air defenses.

-Capable of carrying nearly 100,000 lbs of munitions, including cruise missiles and nuclear weapons, the Tu-160 has been modernized with stealth features, advanced engines, and electronic warfare systems.

-This makes it a formidable tool in Russia's arsenal, capable of executing deadly and strategic strikes.

Tu-160 Blackjack: The Supersonic Bomber Shaping Russia's War Tactics

It is the general understanding that Russia’s military has underperformed during the war in Ukraine. Moscow planned for a three-day invasion, but the war has crossed the 900-day mark, with more than half a million casualties for the Russian military. 

It is hard to pinpoint exactly which part of the Russian military has failed most in the war. But if one thing has actually worked for Russia, it is long-range strikes – specifically, long-range missile strikes by strategic bombers. 

And the Russian Aerospace Forces have exactly the aircraft for such missions.

The Tu-160 Blackjack 

The Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack is a supersonic, variable-sweep-wing strategic bomber. Designed in the 1970s and in service since 1987, the Tu-160 remains the cornerstone of Russia’s strategic bombing capability.

The aircraft uses four Samara NK-32 turbofan engines, each of which can produce up to 55,000 lbs of thrust with afterburner, resulting in a total of 220,000 lbs of force and a maximum speed over Mach 2. That is impressive speed for a strategic bomber. The Tu-160 is over 177 feet long, and it is one of the fastest aircraft of its size in the world. 

Despite its speed, the strategic bomber can fly extremely long distances – its operational range of 7,500 miles can be extended through mid-air refueling. The aircraft requires a crew of four. 

Although the Russian Aerospace Forces only operate a small number of Tu-160 strategic bombers (about 20), they are sufficient for the requirements of the Russian military. The strategic bomber can carry both conventional and nuclear munitions. 

In terms of specific loadouts, the Tu-160 Blackjack can carry almost 100,000 lbs of munitions, including 12 of the Raduga Kh-55 family of cruise missiles in two internal rotary launchers, or 12 AS-16 Kickback short-range nuclear weapons. 

The aircraft’s ability to carry so many cruise missiles makes it particularly deadly in the war in Ukraine. Flying at high altitudes and hundreds of miles outside the range of the Ukrainian air defenses, Tu-160 Blackjacks target and strike Ukraine’s urban centers and critical infrastructure, causing significant damage. 

Over the past few years, the Russian military has been modernizing its fleet of Tu-160s to equip them with modern air defense and air combat capabilities. Russian aerospace engineers have emphasized countermeasures to defeat modern threats in the air. 

As part of this modernization process, Blackjacks are receiving a low observable coating to reduce their radar signature and give them a semblance of stealth. Moreover, the modernization includes new, more powerful engines with increased performance and operational range, a modern cockpit, new electronic warfare countermeasures, and new communication systems.  

Overall, the Tu-160 Blackjack is an impressive aircraft that can prove extremely deadly in the right hands.  

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

Image Credit: Creative Commons.